Device for automatically feeding and cutting off alpha supply of lubricating oil or other liquid



Nov. 8, 1932. H. B. PFEIFFER 1,886,729

DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY FEEDING AND CUTTING OFF A SUPPLY OF LUBRICATING OIL OR OTHER LIQUID Filed June 20, 1930 21 jizverzior UNIT Patented Nov. 8, 1932 I learn HARRY B. rrnlrrnn, or nnnvnn, COLORADO Application filed-June 20, 1930. Serial No. 462,591.

7 l invention relates to an improved de- The main vice for automatically feeding and cutting off a supply of lubricating oil or other liquids. 1

object of the invention is to provide anautomatically operating device for lubricating the faces of the flanges of locomotive wheels which contact with the track rails, particularlywhen roundlng curves,

6 thereby to eliminate friction, and thus reduce wear on the rail and wheel flange.

- Further, to provide a hollow body which is secured to the locomotive frame and provided with a valved inlet connected with an 13' Oil supply, a depending, oscillatable stem beper end of said stem engages the valve and moves it away from its seat, thereby permitting oil to enter the hollow body and passout through said stem, and upon the wheel flange, said stem having a spherical enlargement which is seated in the bottom of the body, thus permitting movement of the stem in any direction.

These objects are accomplished by the deing in which,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the improved lubricating device.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the oscillatable oil delivering stem in valve-opening position.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the oil delivering stem. V

Fig. 4 is a reduced side view showing the device supported in operative position to lubricate the flange of a wheel.

Fig. 5 is aside view at right angles to Fig. 4, showing the stem moved to valve-opening position by the wheel flange, and Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic plan view.

Referring to the accompanying drawing;

The numeral 1, refers to a chambered body member, which is preferably hexagonal in contour, and terminates, in a reduced, threaded, lower end portion 2. The bottom of the chamber 3, is formed with a semi-spherical point. vice'illustrated in the accompanying draw A summer LUBRIGATING seat 4, which terminates. in hole 5.

The upper end portion ofthe chamber 3 is counterbored and threaded, as shown at 6', an annular ledge 7 being formedby the counterbore, which supports ametal disk 8, having a circular valve seat therein. A cap 9 is screwed into the threaded counterbore and-against the 7 disk 8, thus holding thesame against movement. This cap is formed with a chamber 10. having a threaded hole in its upper ,end in whichis screwed o-neend of a pipe 11 which connects with an oil supply which may be located at any convenient point on the locomotive frame. A ball valve 12 is seated in the disk 8, and is normally held on its seat-by a coil spring 13 which bears on the ball and against the upper end of the chamber 10, said chamber being of a depth to permit vertical movement of the ball away from its seat. An oil feeding, wheel flange engaging stem'l l is supported in the body 1, and is arranged and constructed in the following manner :'.This stem is formed near its upper end with a substantially spherical enlargement 15 which rests in the seat 4 in the bottom of the cham ber 3, the stem extending down through the flared hole 5, and being tapered to a'dull The upper and lower ends of the spherical enlargement 15 are flattened as shown, and the stem, adjoining the lower end of the said spherical enlargement, is slightly reduced in diameter, as shown at 5A. to permitafree oscillating movement of the same in any direction. The upper end of the stem is formed with a curved recess 16'. which coincideswiththe curvature of the ball valve 12. which extendsinto said recess, but does not quite contact with said end when the'stem is in normal or vertical position, as clearly shown in'Fig. 1. An axial port '17 extends from the recess 16. to a'point below the-cen ter of the lengthof the stem, and terminates in ailateralport 18 which opens out through the side of the stem, and ports 20 extend at a downward inclination from the top of the enlargement 15 to the axial port 17. A resilient guide 21, is secured at its upper end'by a U- bolt 22 to the stem 14, at a point slightly below the spherical enlargement 15. This guide is in the form of a metal blade which is'bent out at right angles from the point of its connection with the stem and then around to form a U-shaped portion 23, and then down parallel with the stem, and terminating a suitable distance below the end of the stem. The stem contacts with the outer face of the wheel flange andthe guide with the inner face thereof, as will be hereinafter referred to. The

device is secured to the frame 24 of the locomotive in the following manner A horizontal bar 25 is pro-vided at one end with an aperture 26 through which is inserted the lower threaded end of the lubricator body,

and a clamp nut 27 is screwed upon the said;

- one or more of the devices may be employed in connection with one or more driving wheels on each side of the locomotive.

When the locomotive is travelling in a straight or substantially straight direction, the oil distributing stem 14 stands in a vertical position, the wheel flange lying between it and the guide 21, and the ball valve 12 seals the opening or seat between the cap chamber 10 and the body chamber 3, thus cutting off the supply of oil to the oil distributing stem. But when a curve is encountered, the wheel truck is thereby turned at a slight angle with respect to the frame of the locomotive, the wheels thus being moved respectively toward or away from the locomotive frame. The flange of the outer wheel, will engage the related oil feeding stem and swing the same outward, and the rear face of the inner wheel will engage'the guide 21 of the other oil feeding stem and swing the same inward. The swi'nging'movement of each stem, causes its upper end to engage the ball valve 12, and lift the same from its seat in the diskS, thus permitting oil to flow through the supply pipe 11, and cap chamber 10, into the body chamber 3. The oil will then flow into the upper end of the port 17 of the stem, and also through the branch ports 20 into the port '17 and will discharge through the lateral port 18 against the outer face of the wheel flange which passes it on to the side of the rail. By this means, the flanges and fillets of the wheels as well as the side of the rail, are automatically lubricated at the occurrence of every curve in the track, thus greatly reducing friction and the consequent wear on the wheels and rails. The space between the upper end of the stem and the ball will permit a slight oscillating movement of the stem without affecting the ball valve, but excessive lattions of the, guides 21, as clearly shownin the drawing, whereby movement of the stems in directions away from the faces of the wheels, is prevented. The lateral port 18 in the stem is high enough above the pointof the stem to prevent its being closed by the wheel flange,

and a groove 19, extending from the lower side of the port 18, gives the oil a downward direction as it passes out of the said port,

' As the locomotive passes from a curve on to a straight track course,- the stem on the outer side of the track is moved to a vertical or cut off position by engagement oft-he outer wheel with the guide 21, and the stem on the inner side of the truck is pushed into a cut off i position by the flange of the inner wheel and when both stems are in vertical positions, the oil supply is cut off, and the oil in the chamber 3 drains ofi through the ports 20.

While the improved deviceis described in connection with a locomotive, it is not limited to such use, and may be used in'connection with street cars, and for other purposes, and also with liquids other than oil. The ball and socket bearing of the stem permits free oscillating movement of the stem in any direction without the possibility of binding, and sufficient movement of the stem in any direction will eifectthe movement of the ball valve from its seat.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described, a chambered body adapted to connect with a liquid supply and having a valve seat and a valve thereon, a depending stem oscillatably mounted in the chamber for moving said valve from its seat, said stem having an outlet port, and a depending, parallel guide member secured at its upper end to said stem, and spaced therefrom.

2. In a lubricating device of the character described, the combination with a frame and a wheel truck pivotally mounted thereon, of abracket on said frame, a chambered body supported on said bracket, and adapted to connect with an oil supply and having a valve seat and a valve thereon, a depending oscillatable stem mounted in the chamber for moving said valve from its seat, said stem having an outlet port and a depending'parallel guide member secured at its upper end. to said stem and spaced therefrom, said stem and guide straddling the flange of one of the truck wheels, whereby lateral movement of the wheel moves said stem, thereby to lift the valve and permit an outflow of oil through said stem to said wheel flange.

3. In a lubricating device of the character described, a chambered body, a chambered cap for said body, a. disk separating said chambers having a valve seat therein, a ball valve on said seat, said cap having an oil inlet adapted to connect with an oil supply, a stem having a spherical enlargement which is seated in the bottomof said body, said stem extending through the said bottom and below the same and being provided with an axial port, the upper end'of said stembeing adapted to engage and lift the ball valve when moved in any direction, thereby, to permit oil to enter the body chamber and flow out through the stemport.

4. In a lubricating device of the character described, a hollow body member, having a socket bearing in its lower end terminating in an aperture, a depending stem extending through said aperture having a spherical enlargement near its upper end which is seated in said socket bearing, said stem having an axial port terminating in a lateral outlet, a hollow cap for said body adapted to connect with an oil supply, a disk supported in the body having a valve seat, a spring controlled ball valve in said seat, the upper end of said stem being in close proximity to said ball valve, whereby, when the stem is moved in any direction, the valve is lifted from its seat, permitting the oil to enter the hollow body and flow out through the port in said stem.

5. Mechanism according to claim 4, in which the stem is provided with an axial port extending from its upper end and terminating in an outlet intermediate of the length of the stem, lateral ports being formed in the upper end portion of the stem which connect with the axial port.

6. Mechanism according to claim 4, in which the stem is provided with a spaced, parallel guide which is connected at its upper end to the stem.

7. In a lubricating device of the character described, the combination with a frame and a wheel truck pivotally mounted thereon, of a bracket on said frame having an aperture, a chambered body member having a reduced threaded lower end which is inserted in said aperture and a clamp nut on said threaded end, a depending stem oscillatably mounted in said body, and depending below the same and having axial outlet port, a disk supported in the body, having a valve seat, a hollow cap for the body and having a pipe for connection with an oil supply, a ball in the cap which is mounted on the said seat, a spaced parallel guide secured to said stem, said stem and said guide being adapted to straddle the flange of a truck wheel, whereby lateral movement of the wheel will effect the movement of the stem, the upper end .of which engages and lifts the ball from its seat, thereby permitting oil to flow into the body and out through the stem to the wheel flange, and a guard on the frame to engage said guide, thereby to prevent lateral movement of the same in one direction.

8. Mechanism according to claim 7 in which the guide is provided with a lateral U-shaped bend in position to be engaged by the guard.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

HARRY B. PFEIFFER.

lOO 

